I haven’t been blogging much recently, with everything its been extremely busy and we have been spending every moment we can with the family.

Its only taken me since February as well to settle into a real work and motherhood balance that I can deal it. To all the working mothers out there ill raise a glass to you tonight !!

With all that said, this time of year is my absolute favorite. There is just something extra special about Autumn that I just love.

Doesn’t having kids make everything like a thousand times more fun. Halloween this year I went to town! Quite literally. Our house turned into a real life Halloween town style cavern.

I have started doing things with Evelyn that I want to become traditions every year so we can get super excited about holidays. I took her pumpkin patching 4 times, which led me to have to deal with 23 pumpkins, but we had so much fun running around the fields picking up the biggest pumpkins ever and collecting all the decorations we could. Was such a nice bonding moment for me and Evelyn and if anyone is from the West Midlands I would recommend the Wasperton Farm in Warwick, its completely free to go and the family that run the farm are so friendly and also Hatton Country World we booked our tickets in advance but there is so much there to do and every child gets a free pumpkin.

As it was Evelyn’ second Halloween, I decided we would go trick or treating to a few doors in the street. We had all my friends around with their children who Evelyn grew up with and played loads of Halloween games, dressed up and danced down to the monster munch and maybe one or two bottles of champagne were drank!

Cant believe its nearly the end of year already, where has this year gone! Count down to Christmas begins!!!

Sorry I have been totally MIA for a few months, I have been spending a lot of quality time with my family and baby. I haven’t felt the urge to write anything because my head has been else where.

It is that time of year where everything gets a head of you and before you know it, its Christmas.

Every year we say this year will be better nothing else could possibly go wrong, and then it does. I think myself and my family are just use to things happening that it doesn’t even bother us anymore. We just get on with it.

Last year, just as I had my daughter my nan was diagnosed with cancer. Cancer isn’t new to our family, in fact it seems to haunt us. Just a year before she was diagnosed my granddad died of it. My nan cared for him for 3 years only asking for help towards the end, she saw just how heart breaking it is from the outside to then be told she had it too. We went through the surgery with her, and for the first few months of my daughters life she had to put up with going to the hospital everyday so my nan could have radio therapy. She was a trooper! She fought and fought hard and she beat it. This year just before summer, she was diagnosed with it again. This time somewhere else. With her age and health its getting harder. How much can one person take? Only she is. She is strong and powerful, and seeing her being so strong you cant help but think my bad day at work is nothing compared to what you are going through so how can I moan.

Right now she is having one of the strongest chemo’s possible, so she can fight that bit longer! She says her will power is my daughter. She wants to see her grow, be around long enough so she will remember who she was. How can someone so small be a lifeline for someone.

My daughter was sent to save people, she saved me, she saved my family and she is saving my nan. Yet she doesn’t know just how much she means to everyone.

During the winter I don’t really wear jeans, for me jeans are a spring time thing. When its cold I am a legging and boots kind of girl.

Since it is technically spring even if the weather doesn’t agree with it I have dug out my favorite pair of jeans. I bought these when I was pregnant and they were my “I will fit into these after I have burst” jeans. Two weeks after I popped I fitted into them and have loved them ever since. They are from Next but they are no longer in stock but they do plenty just like them.

As I am quite small, flats and jeans make me feel dumpy and even smaller so I always pair them with a cute pair of heels. As it isn’t sandal type of weather in the UK yet these half open lace up shoes are just perfect and actually look amazing with skirts as well. They come in blush pink too!!!! Super cute and not expensive. Asos have done well with these.
I said in a previous post about shoes that lace up are so in for this season and I don’t think it will be ending anytime soon as it looks cute with everything.

I went a whole year without even having an idea that my baby had an intolerance. We all give birth to these beautiful babies and want them to be perfect.

I know an intolerance is nothing to be too worried about, and in fact most children do grow out of it but I still felt so guilty. A whole year she went unable to tell me that actually my breast milk hurt her belly or even when she was on formula it was the reason she didn’t want to eat much and some times full on refuse to eat anything. Those sleepless nights where she would wake up screaming as if she was pain and me having no idea what was up. I felt like I had failed somehow. How did I not pick up on it? Why didn’t I know?

Now she is a different child, more then happy nothing goes through her and she eats everything and anything I put in front of her. Her milk has been changed and even though I have to make food just for her I am happy she is happy. That’s all well and good when we are at home or popping to friends and family but we have come across another issue. Eating out.

As a family we love eating out and meeting up with friends is a needs must in our lives, but I am finding everywhere I go I am having to pack a lunch for baby. No where and so far I mean no where caters for those who are lactose intolerant. I have asked in serval food chains if they happen to have soya milk for milkshakes or lactose free ice cream for puddings or if I could see what lunches they do that are lactose free and people look at me like I am mad, or as if I spoke alien to them. How now a days is this the case? Surely other people have intolerances than just my child. I often want to say to the staff would you like to explain to a little girl why everyone else is having ice cream but she cant?

We have been one place where my daughter was actually allowed to sit and have something we ordered for her, and that was Starbucks. She was so happy with her tiny little cup, that had child soya milk that Starbucks actually had in stock. We all had matching little cups and for once I didn’t have to pull out a lunch box so she had something so she didn’t feel left out. Right now she isn’t at the age where she understands fully but when she is older she is going to feel like an outcast, everyone else gets to eat what they want yet she has to sit there with a lunch box.

Her intolerance isn’t a big deal, but how when items are so easy to get hold of that companies still make it a big deal.

Other than that I have to say all the lactose free food is actually rather yummy and I am enjoying finding new things to make her. I would never be able to tell the difference in real and fake cheese, the pizza I made was a huge hit in this household. Going to try and make coconut and raspberry muffins for her, and for anyone who knows me I’m not a huge cook so this could be fun!

I have always been into bags and shoes big time, but since becoming a mum heels aren’t always my go to anymore.

A great pair of flat shoes are a must, especially when you are running after a toddler most of the time.

This year lace up flats have been right on trend, at first i questioned if i could ever really get on with them but i couldn’t have been more wrong. The pair pictured are from River Island and don’t think i have ever wore such a comfy shoe in my life and so perfect for the changing weather.

Another must have is a large bag! The bag pictured is perfect, there seems to be a lot of tan around currently which looks great with jeans in the spring, it also holds everything myself and baby b needs and i don’t feel like i loose everything inside it either, its super soft and easy to carry around. This bag is from Dorothy Perkins

Watching friends have children before my daughter was born I would sit back and think who on earth needs all that stuff. How many nappies does one child really need, and does anyone actually need a bottle warmer?

… And then my daughter was born, and everything I ever questioned suddenly made sense! I bought so many things whilst I was pregnant I wondered if I would ever get round to using it all but I can honestly say there isn’t a single thing I didn’t use, but there were certain items that I would say every mum needs in their first year survival kit.

1. A nappy basket in every room

This is such a simple one but I can’t explain how easy it made things, I didn’t have to run up and down the stairs every time she needed changing because I had a basket downstairs which always felt like it had a lifetime supply of nappies, creams, burp cloths, vests and pjs. I still even have this now.

2. Amber teething necklace

This isn’t for everyone, but I have actually swore by it. I took it off her for a few weeks just to see and the day I put it back on she started sleeping through again. If this is something you would like to try make sure you buy the real thing, there is so many fakes about.

3. Teddy Blankie

When I went into early labour, the nurse said I should sleep with something that my daughter could have if she was born early to always have the smell of me. I slept with this little teddy holding a blanket, since day 1 she has had this and when she was ever upset or cranky somehow this teddy calmed her down. Now a days we have 3 of them just in case but she still is always carrying it around.

4. Loved so much baby bouncer

Heaven! It vibrated, and sang songs and when I collapsed it down I cried. If only she could still fit into it. For younger babies it is a perfect way to keep them safe if your ironing, having a quick snack or just to have a sit down by yourself.

5. Tommee Tippee Bottle warmer

After I stopped breast feeding this during the night was amazing! I didn’t have to run downstairs to warm a bottle up as I kept the warmer next to my bed, it just made night feeds just that bit easier.

6. Pregnancy support pillow

Towards the end of my pregnant I couldn’t sleep, with this I could sleep anywhere they are designed to help and support you! After my daughter was born I used it as a feeding pillow and a tummy time pillow it was worth every penny.

7. A compartment filled nappy bag

I always left the house like we were going away for a week, but having a perfect nappy bag with a compartment for everything made it so easy not to forget anything.

8. Baby sling

This takes some time to get use to but once you get the hang of it, it is so worth the practice! My daughter suffered from acid reflux and somedays putting her in the sling was the only way I would get anything done. It came on holiday with us and being able to walk around the airport collecting my luggage and having both hands free was a complete luxury.

9. A good do it all pram

Now a days you can get some great deals on prams, but I would highly recommend a travel system with car seat. Being able to take the car seat out the car and straight on the frame makes life so much easier especially if you are a first time mum wondering out on your own, you don’t have a million free hands.

10. A few things for you

Waist Trainer, this was more of an old wives tale but I it worked wonders!

Good supportive under wear, whether you are nursing or not. Stretch mark cream, even after having a baby keeping the belly, hips and thighs oiled up will stop any little ones creeping up. Plenty of nursing pads and maternity pads, you will be surprised how many you use. Plenty of coffee and lastly a huge pat on the back!

Even after all of that the one thing I couldn’t have coped without, was my mum. Even if it was just for a cup of tea or a reassuring smile, she is always on hand for when I just needed a helping hand

Full of mixed emotions, I’m sure every parent goes through it.
The first birthday draws closer and yet you can’t deicide to be happy, sad, excited or do you let the anxiety wash over you.

Being caught in an emotional break down of the fact I’ve been called mummy for nearly a whole year and yet i don’t know whats more depressing, that she is growing so fast or the fact I’m still carrying the tummy.

On the other hand i couldn’t be more happier that this sweet baby has grown into the most perfect stroppiest drama queen of a toddler. Who can not help but make you smile.

But when the days race a head of you and another evening ends with her in bed, you can’t help but wonder where does the time go? One moment you’re packing a hospital bag full of worry and uncertainty, waiting to see this face thats been growing so wonderfully inside you. The next you’re holding her hand whilst she takes her first few steps and planning the day where she goes from baby to toddler.

Do the days ever slow down or do you just soak it up way more than you should just so you don’t ever forget what that moment feels like.

For now i wait for the tantrums, the grazed knees, the first sentences, the first day of school and watching her grow everyday into an even more perfect little girl.